News & Stories

The Loppet Foundation :: News & Stories :: Coaches’ Corner — Summer 2020

Coaches’ Corner — Summer 2020

On the snowmaking loop at Theodore Wirth Park, “Coaches’ Corner” sits at the top of the longest climb on the course, aptly named for the spot where many coaches gather during races to give technique advice and encouragement to their athletes. Like that spot on the course, this newsletter provides an opportunity for our coaches from Loppet Sport (Loppet Nordic Racing, Loppet Cycle Works, TRAIL KIDS, Loppet Run 365) and paid Loppet Adventure Programs (Loppet Adventure Camps, Loppet Run Club, Loppet Ultra Run Club, Loppet Ski Club) to communicate with current & prospective athletes before the upcoming training season.

The quarterly newsletter has four sections of relevant information for those interested in training with the Loppet Foundation:

  • “Loppet Leaders” will feature sport-related updates and information written by those in our Loppet community.
  • “The Radar” is where you can find the latest news articles, podcasts, or videos our coaches have found interesting.
  • “Community Round-Up & Reflections” highlights the successes of outstanding individuals in our training programs over the past few months and recaps the past season as a whole for our programs.
  • “Upcoming Programs & Events” lists out the running, biking, or skiing groups you and/or your family can join in the upcoming season. There are also links in this section to upcoming races and training camps.
Loppet Run 365 Adult Distance Running (Somali language) training group led by 1500m World Champion Abdi Bile.

Loppet Leaders: 

The Radar:

TRAIL KIDS mountain biking practice with smaller groups of children and masks to protect against COVID-19.

Community Round-Up & Reflections:

Individual Highlights/Successes:

  • We are so excited for summer Loppet Adventure Camp counselor Victor Sanchez who has been named to the Olympic Development soccer team, on which he will have the opportunity to train and play in Germany before his senior year at Washburn High School.
  • Congrats to the fourteen Loppet Nordic Racing (LNR) Athletes who were named to this year’s CXC Regional Elite Group.
  • Good luck to our LNR alums who graduated from college this spring and will now be continuing their ski careers on professional teams: Hannah Rudd (Bridger Ski Foundation Elite Team – Bozeman, MT), Ingrid Thyr and Luke Brown (Crosscut Elite Team – Bozeman, MT), & Margie Freed and Michaela Keller-Miller (Craftsbury Green Team – Craftsbury, VT).

Spring Program Recap:

  • Despite COVID-19 setbacks, Loppet Nordic Racing (LNR) coaches Piotr Bednarski and Chris Harvey worked to continue providing strength and ski training through Zoom video calls with LNR skiers who had registered for spring programming. The adult group met virtually twice a week as Coach Piotr led rigorous strength training from his makeshift home gym, while the juniors met in a similar form with Coach Harvey. The online sessions allowed the Loppet to expand our reach to skiers outside of Minnesota, with individuals joining from as far as New York and Massachusetts. 
  • With Shelter-in-Place orders in effect during April and May, our innovative Loppet Sport coaches adapted and brought both technical and training tips to all virtually through their Loppet Foundation YouTube Playlists. Loppet Cycle Works (LCW) coach Bruce Martens and Loppet Nordic Racing (LNR) coach Piotr Bednarski also built out more in depth content, like coaches’s education and training session feedback, on the new LCW YouTube channel and LNR Technique Video channel.
Socially-distant Loppet Nordic Racing juniors strength practice with no shared equipment.

Upcoming Programs & Events:

Some summer programs have already begun. You can still sign up for these by contacting the coach whose information is listed on the webpages linked to each program below.

Loppet Adventures

TRAIL KIDS

Loppet Cycle Works (LCW)

Loppet Nordic Racing (LNR)

Loppet Run 365 (LR365)

Events